The prostaglandins are a group of hormone-like substances which may be viewed as derivatives of prostanoic acid. Several prostaglandins are found widely distributed in mammalian tissue and have been isolated from this source. These prostaglandins have been shown to possess a variety of biological properties such as bronchodilation and the ability to reduce gastric secretion.
The present invention concerns PGF.sub.1 and PGF.sub.2 derivatives in which the 9 and 10-positions, (using the prostanoic acid numbering system) have together lost the elements of water with addition of a new 9,10-carbon to carbon bond, i.e. the 9,10-positions of PGF.sub.1 and PGF.sub.2 have suffered the equivalent of a selective dehydration. The preparation of the starting material for this series, 10,11.alpha.-epoxy-PGA.sub.2, is reported in J. Org. Chem. 38, 3187 (1973).